VM1138

Osgood cost us this game. I hate saying that because I've never been an Ozzie basher and I always had faith in him, but those first two goals should have been routine. Forty some shots and two goals? Our offense, while they are technically shooting and had some fantastic chances, needs to work on their timing. Passing through four opposing players may work once in a while but it's nothing to add to the playbook. Such a good game...and we still get the shaft. I was so confident they would finally get the points tonight...but now they have to win the next two games (one of which against LA which never seems to lose when we need them to) to have any chance at all really to avoid a last minute race for last place at the end of the season.

I don't think Ozzie is upset that he's the backup. None of his comments seem to indicate he believes that he should be a starter. His complaints all revolve aroudn how long between starts. He, like everyone else, feels that Babcock is playing Howard TOO much, and that it allows one of the goalies to get stagnant. Ozzie is still a team player, he's not upset with Howard from the sounds of it, or jealous. He probably feels he can't keep sharp without the starts and is concerned about his own chances when he does start. He knows he deserves to be the backup but he also feels he should play more than once a month, which I can understand. He just shouldn't go to the media with it.

This game is exciting, a win tonight could really boost this team. We really need a break to go our way for once, so I think we may pull out a win tonight and move up in the standings!

I originally thought Ozzie would start, but I'm beginning to think that Howard is the guy, the way Babcock plays him. Hopefully his youth will prevent him from getting burned out from playing too much. I think we're solid in goal, which I never would have predicted a few months ago.

Pretty pumped, games are starting to feel like playoff games. Second half hockey is my favorite time of the year behind playoff hockey. I just hope to God we win.

People need to realize: Hockey > Church.

I see charges being filed in this case. Absolutely brutal, cheap and unnecessary. There was no way any part of that was accidental. What is with all the injuries in hockey lately? This season it seems like every week people are being taken off in stretchers and brutally injured. The game hasn't become that much more physical, it's just getting very weird, this season.

I think maybe the refs will give us a break tomorrow, hopefully. That might help the Wings have a chance against Chicago.

For a guy who gets 90-100 points each season? Yes.

Well, they could paint the strip an inch or so BEHIND the goal line, or far enough back that the entire puck would have to be past the goal line for it to reach the strip and thus trigger the light.

Maybe, but Franzen always gets off to a ridiculously hot streak when he comes off an injury. And I have a feeling Franzen at 60% is better than everyone else on the team right now. Franzen gets more potent each year, and all indicators pointed to him having a great year. He was the only player really playing well those first three games and he will be when he gets back.

Of all the suggestions I've heard...that's actually not crazy. If it's technologically possible. It would mess with the puck weight and distribution, though, I bet. That might make it not feasible.

God I hope Chicago doesn't massacre us.

Toronto actually said it wasn't conclusively a goal. The ref who made the call and was right on top of th epuck said it was no goal. The two linesmen were the ones who made a separate call (goal counts) against all the evidence and claimed that they SAW the puck cross the line (with no video evidence of course). When you have to choose between video evidence and the word of random linesmen far from the play, you have to go with video evidence.

I don't know. I try not to be too hard on players, especially Datsyuk and Zetterberg who we all love, but I don't know how they can both be so mediocre this year. THey were world class for a couple years now and then suddenly both disappear at the same time for an entire season? It defies any explanation. It can't be injuries, it can't be their linemates, they should be good enough to score with anyone on their wing, that's what was said about them the past few years. They don't even have chemistry with each other anymore, it just disappeared. We can only hope they get it together for playoffs and we can forget about why they suddenly joined the average class.

Someone had a good idea, the refs union should really raise a fuss about this violation of rules and the undermining of the ref who makes the call. Even if they DID see it cross the line, they don't outrank the ref who made the initial call RIGHT ON TOP OF THE PUCK, right?

I hate how sports fans whine about every call and result, because it makes it harder to be taken seriosly when you complain about a result. But this was blatant cheating. I don't even understand how this can happen. Aren't the rules there for a reason? This wasn't a "human mistake" or some act of God, this was not according to the rules, should not happen.

Ken and Mick found out what happened: The one ref made the call: No Goal. He was right on top of it and emphatic it was no goal. The linesman called for a review and said it was no goal. Toronto for some reason allowed the linesman to overrule the ref who made the call (a violation of the rule that the ref making the call must be followed if you can't prove it's a goal), and admitted that the NHL did not have inconlusive proof it was a goal. They just allowed the linesman to overrule with no evidence. I've never seen Mick and the team so upset. This is beyond bush league. You can't change the rules in the middle of a game in professional sports. This deserves a serious investigation, but of course there is no accountability in the NHL. Well, at least we got 1 point and move into 8th.

FSD just said they talked to Dallas' media people and they said their angles don't show a goal, either.

I knew Ott would score as soon as they said it was his first shot ever. That's how the story goes these days. But seriously, how can you disagree with a ref who is literally ON TOP of the puck who makes the call? You see part of the puck go back, but there is no backward motion and you can never see the whole puck cross the line. I think the "War Room" calls take so long because they are debating whether or not they can get away with handing the game away. We really needed thsoe two points. I'll take the 1, we're still in 8th place now, but not much cushion room... I'll miss the Chicago game tomorrow but the way things have gone this year...

The immature assholes on this forum just seem to be growing in number. I wish we could have just regular discussions without all this attitude. On a depressing note, the Wings victory means nothing much, LA is beating the crap out of Anaheim. 4-0 in the 2nd now. We're still one point behind 8th. Hopefully the WIngs can break their habit of 2 or 3 good games followed by devastating losses. It's bad enough we have to count on LA losing in bunches in order to make up ground.

Maybe he hasn't found a girlfriend yet?

Well, for a few hours at least. LA plays a battered Anaheim team that just lost Teemu Selanne, leaving them one talented player (Getzlaf) tonight. Pretty likely LA will win and leapfrog Detroit bya point again, but let's all get our mojo going for Anaheim. Now excuse me while I forget I ever rooted for Anaheim.

Feeling good about this team again, especially seeing Lilja, Kronwall and Franzen working out again. Hopefully LIlja can return this season, but I know it's unlikely. But, we've felt good about games before. I'm not getting my hopes up, just taking it game by game now. If they can win tonight it's a crucial win that puts them in a much better position than they were before. I'd rather have everyone chasing us for 8th than us chasing everyone else and having to rely on hot teams losing.

When I was younger I didn't follow sports all that much. But in '97 I have vivid memories of watching them win the Cup while I was at my aunt and uncle's house. I was 11 or so at the time and the excitement just has an impact when you're young. Around the same time I started playing hockey video games, never got to watch too many games so I would read the recaps every day in the paper. When the Internet became more widespread I followed the website and the NHL site religiously and followed stats pretty much day to day. I started watching virtually every game I could in the 2000-2001 season. Since then I've grown to appreciate other teams and the sport in general, but you know how it goes, you dance with the team that brung ya. It certainly didn't hurt that they've been great teams ever since I started following them that gave me plenty of years to appreciate what we're witnessing. Now I'll be a lifelong fan, so that's pretty cool.